MACCABI TEL AVIV supporters were banned from attending next month’s Europa Conference League clash against Aston Villa after police intelligence identified them as the main risk of violence, the Guardian revealed in an exclusive report on Tuesday.

The November 6 fixture at Villa Park was designated high risk following assessments by West Midlands Police, supported by the UK Football Policing Unit. Intelligence suggested that dozens of extreme Maccabi fans with a record of violence and racist abuse were expected to travel.

Dutch police warned their British counterparts that Maccabi fans had instigated violence in Amsterdam last year, randomly targeting Muslims and prompting reprisal attacks on Dutch Jews. That incident required a 5,000-strong police operation.

A community impact assessment also found some local Jewish residents supported the ban. The decision, made by Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group, has been criticised by the prime minister and others as capitulating to anti-semitism, a consideration police reportedly did not weigh.